Cheltenham Town 1-6 Coventry City
City: Burge, Grimmer, Willis, Davies, Stokes, Bayliss (Reid 76). Doyle , Kelly, Shipley, Biamou (Clarke-Harris 82),McNulty( Ponticelli 79), Subs:O'Brien, Haynes, Hyam. Barrett,
Cheltenham: Flinders, Atangana, Pell, White, Boyle,
Sellers, (Grimes 46), Morrell, Rodon (Odelusi 46), Chatzitheordiris, Winchester, Eisa. Subs: Loveitt, Bowyer, Cranston, , Andrews, Lloyd.
Att 5,027
Goals Tom Bayliss 11, Marc McNulty 27, 43, 77, Jordan Shipley 37, Mohammed Eisa 58 pen, Max Biamou 73
Coventry City hit six past Cheltenham Town but still need a point to book their place in the play-offs.
Two games to go, four points needed or rely on Mansfield not winning their last two games was the target for the Sky Blues as they headed to their first ever competitive game at Cheltenham Town.
With every ticket snapped up by the City support and City supporters in the home ends, it was a lively day for a game which saw Mark Robins make three changes with Ryan Haynes. Rod McDonald and Jonson Clarke-Harris all dropped against a Cheltenham side which had former City loanee Samni Odelusi on the bench.
Before the game, there was a fight between City supporters due to City supporters not sitting in the seats they had been allocated. Although to be fair, the away end certainly could not cope with the numbers and many had to stand, as Cheltenham who had looked to cash in on the City support. had a couple of early free kicks in the pouring rain, the second, of which Burge caught.
That led to a Shipley cross and City winning a corner,.
Eisa got in down the left in the 8th minute and Burge made a brilliant one-save to concede a corner. Again that was cleared and City won a free kick which Doyle took. He found Jordan Shipley who sent the ball across the goal for Tom Bayliss to smash into the net, sparking scenes of delight all over the ground.
One City supporter was ejected for celebrating in a home area, a goal which had the Sky Blues in front.
Burge made a good grab and Biamou just missed a good cross from Davies.
Bayliss, impressed the watching scouts with a run and shot and in the 27th minute, he found Jack Grimmer who sent over a peach of a cross which Marc McNulty headed into the far corner of the net.
Again, there were jubilant scenes added to by news that Mansfield were losing.
Doyle fired over and Cheltenham had Ilias booked before the Sky Blues had a third goal in the 37th minute when Jordan Shipley was left free to smash the ball into the net.
Burge saved well in the 42nd minute. City attacked. The home defence hesitated at a Willis through ball and in popped Marc McNulty for the fourth goal and more celebrations.
After the half - time banter with Flinders in the Cheltenham goal and Odelusi coming on, Jordan Shipley got in and Flinders brilliantly beat away his effort
Shipley fired over again and Burge got booked after charging out of his goal to concede a 57th minute penalty after bringing down Mohamed Eisa who got up to score.
Pell got booked for hacking down Doyle as news came through of a second goal for Yeovil.
Eisa fired into the side netting against a City side which had Bayliss having a fine game in midfield and had a fifth goal when McNulty beat his man on the right and crossed for Max Biamou to stunningly send an overhead kick into the net for the fifth goal.
Kyel Reid came on with fourteen minutes left and played in Marc McNulty who cut inside and curled the ball into the net to complete his hat-trick and send some or the home fans heading for the exits.
McNulty was immediately replaced by Jordan Ponticelli and Biamou came off with Clarke-Harris coming on as news came through that Mansfield were winning at Yeovil and City need a point at least against Morecambe on Legends Day.